This is the story of Aluvah Saga A Zimbabwean freelance sports Journalist who has been stucked in Yaounde after the 2021 AFCON as narrated by his colleague Lawrence Mangenje
” Aluvah Saga left Robert Gabriel International Airport for Cameroon on the 9th of January 2022 for the Afcon finals, a day before Zimbabwe’s opener against Senegal. We were told he was funding his own trip to the West African country.
He arrived at the Warriors’ base in the city of Baffousam, on January 11. It appeared his intentions were to stay at the Warriors team hotel, but the national team doctors, who wanted to ensure the team maintains a clean Covid-19 bill, said no.
That forced Aluvah to check into a different hotel, housing SRC officials who had travelled with the team. While staying there, he had an altercation with one of the officials and refused to pay the hotel bill, which was then paid by Wellington Mpandare (Warriors Team Manager).
After the defeat to Malawi, the Zimbabwe delegation moved to Yaounde, and Aluvah, together with the SRC officials, checked into a hotel. Following the dead rubber against Guinea, Aluvah decided to stay and watch the rest of tournament, a decision which surprised everyone there.
He collapsed on the 25th of January, after the Morocco-Malawi match, which ended 2-1 in favour of the Atlas Lions. He was hospitalised and diagnosed with a diagnosed with a heart condition. He claims Cameroon FA president Samuel Eto’o paid his hospital bills.
He was discharged from hospital on the February 2, but later that day, he was at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium watching the semi-final between Senegal and Burkina Faso, and even posted a pic with El Hadji Diouf. For someone who was recuperating, his presence there surprised many.
We discovered on February 7 that he was facing arrest, after the hotel manager at Arena Hotel in Yaounde, reported to the police that he had failed to settle the USD700 hotel bill he was owing for the duration of his stay at the facility.
I called the hotel manager, Ndongo Nga Tharcisse. The conversation was a struggle because his English is not that good. He confirmed that the money was owed and wanted. A few days later, Alvin was given an ultimatum to pay the money in 24 hours or be arrested.
Despite assuring the police that he will pay the money the next day, Aluvah confided to the hotel manager and told him he does not have money to pay and sought a reprieve, which was rejected.
2 months later, he is still stuck in Cameroon, where he is reportedly helpless, homeless and in ‘precarious health.”
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